Stamping device having a rotatable printing cylinder



Dec. 22, 1959 w. MULLER ETAL STAMPING DEVICE HAVING A ROTATABLE PRINTING CYLINDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 3, 1957 n IIIIIJAI'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I lPuaal/ law nun 65 I U Dec. 22, 1959 w. MULLER ET AL 2,917,999

STAMPING DEVICE HAVING A ROTATABLE PRINTING CYLINDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;. 3, 1957 r I win M T Y .L N UI WW N mm I WWW 1M M i W 1959 w. MULLER ETAL' STAMPING DEVICE HAVING A ROTATABLE PRINTING CYLINDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 5, 1957 United States Patent G STAMPING DEVICE HAVING A ROTATABLE PRINTING CYLINDER Wilhelm Miiller, Frankfurt am Main-Eckenheim, and Rudolf Lamprecht, Ruesselsheim am Main, Germany, assignors to Telefonbau und Normalzeit G.m.b.H., Frankfurt, Germany, a firm of Germany Application October 3, 1957, Serial No. 687,947

Claims priority, application Germany December 12, 1956 6 Claims. (Cl. 101-235) This invention refers to rotatable printing stamps, which type of stamps is Widely used for making imprints upon mail, and other matter.

One kind of prior art printing stamps comprises a rotatable printing cylinder intended to be rolled manually across the surface to be imprinted. Such manually operable printing stamps are relatively inexpensive, yet relatively ineffective, and lend themselves only to uses requiring making of but a relatively small number of imprints in a given time.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention. to provide rotatable printing stamps which are much more efficient and have a considerably larger output than the aforementioned prior art stamps, and which are relatively compact and simple to manufacture.

Where the number of stamping operations to be performed is very large, power-driven stamping machines may be used wherein the printing cylinder is operated by an electric motor, and wherein mail or other printed matter is transported by an endless, power-operated conveyor belt, or apron. Such machines are generally bulky, relatively difficult to manufacture, and expensive, and can only be applied where the volume of matter to be imprinted is large.

It is, therefore, another object of this invention to provide stamping devices which are considerably less elaborate and expensive than the above referred-to large power-driven stamping machines, yet lend themselves well to applications requiring more efficient stamping means than the aforementioned prior art manually operated rotary stamps intended to be rolled across surfaces iliary devices adapted to be combined with existing relatively ineffective prior art stamping means to greatly increase the effectiveness and the output of the latter.

Further objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to, and forming part of,

this specification.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, wherein Fig. 1 is a section substantially along 1-1 of Fig. 2 and shows an apparatus embodying the invention;

ice

Fig. 3 is in substance a section along 3-3 of Fig. 2; Figs. 4 and 5 are side elevations of the manual operating lever of the structure of Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive,

showing said lever in two different operating positions, namely its initial limit position before efiiecting its printing stroke and its final limit position after effecting its printing stroke; and

Fig. 6 is a top plan view, similar to that of Fig. 2, showing, on a larger scale, a portion of the structure shown in the latter.

The apparatus illustrated is intended to receive a manually operable rotary prior art stamp. The details of that stamp mechanism have not been illustrated in the drawings since that stamp mechanism does not form part of the present invention. In Fig. 1 the outline of the stamp has been indicated by a dash-and-dotline, to which the reference letter a has been applied, and the rotatable pr nting cylinder of this stamp has been indictated by the dash-and-dot line b. In Fig. 3 parts a and b have been indicated by solid lines. The constituent parts of the device are supported by a frame 10 subdivided by a verti- .cal partition 13 into a front compartment 11 and a rear compartment 12. Compartment 11 is bounded by a horizontal partit on 14 having rectangular apertures 15, 16 through which two rolls 17, 18 project. Partition 14 forms a table, or support, for the matter to be imprinted. The aforementioned stamp mechanism a is supported by a tray 20 which is upturned at the periphery thereof. Plate 14 and tray 20 define jointly a slot 19 intended for insertion into the device of matter to be printed. Tray 28 is provided with an aperture 21 through which the printing cylinder 5 projects into slot 19. Reference numeral 22 indicates a s ring-biased button-operated retaining pin mounted on the front of tray 20 (Figs. 2 and 3). The significance and function of this pin will be explained below. Shaft 25 mounted inside of tray 20 is intended to drive the printing cylinder b. To this end the shaft c rotatably supporting printing cylinder b is provided with a slot engaged by a pin 23 on shaft 25 projecting transversely through shaft 25. Shaft 25 is supported by partition 13 and frame wall 26 and supports a p nion 24 adapted to cooperate with a coupling or spring-biased slipping clutch 36 (Figs; 3 and 6). If pinion 24 which is loosely mounted on shaft 25 is being driven in the direction of the windings of therhel cal spring of slipping clutch 36, pinion 24 is retained by the clutch and then torque is being transmitted from pin on 24 to shafts 25 and 0. However, if pinion 24 is being driven in the direction opposite to that of the windings of the helical spring of slipping clutch 36, then pinion 24 turns loosely on shaft 25 without transmitt ng a torque to, or driving, shafts 25 and c. Slipping clutches of the aforementioned type are well known in the art and, therefore, need not be "described in greater detail. Shaft 25 also supports a cam 37 fixedly mounted thereon and cooperatively engaged by a leafspring 38 of which one end is attached to frame 10. I

Compartment 12 accommodates also amanual operating lever to the two arms of which the reference numerals 27, 28 have been applied. Lever 27, 28 is mounted on shaft 29 and under the action ofahelical resetting spring 30 tending to move lever 27, 28 to. its initial limit position shown in Fig. 4. The upper end of a'rrn27 is provided with an operating handle 31, andthe lower v Fig.' 2 is 'a top plan view of the structure of Fig. 1,

some parts'thereof being shown as being'broken away;

situated immediately adjacent the area where.lever.27,28

is pivoted; The. two angularly displaced-toothed gear 'segments34, 35 aremounted for joint movement v.zwith lever 27, 28. Segment 34 meshes with pinion 24 for ;-Fig.: 3. surface-62 of roll 17 for its. supporting shaft 63 is in the shape of two coaxial truncated cones whose narrow .operatingprinting cylinder and segment 35 meshes with a..pinion 39.for driving a. roll 18. Roll 18 is a transport roll, i.e. it receives matter imprinted by the printing cylinder b and ejects such matter out of the stamping device, i.e. out of the slot or gap 19 formed between parts l and 20. Pinion 39 is loosely mounted on shaft ,40 of,transport roll18 and cooperates with a coupling tated in the opposite direction by segment 35, no torque is transmitted from pinion 39 to transport roll 18, the former thenloosely turning on shaft 40.

The spacing between transport roll 18 and printing cylinder .b is substantially equal to the length of the circumference of theprinting cylinder b. As a result of 'th'isspacing, .any printed matter, irrespective of its size,

will be moved into engagementwith transport roll 18 when a full turn of the printing cylinder b has been accomplished. Once a piece ofprinted matter has come into engagement with transport roll 18, it is, further moved by it in forward or ejecting direction, and ulti mately ejected-from the stamping apparatus.

Segment 3:5 on lever 27, 28 is acted upon byv a locking mechanism precluding return of handle 31 and lever 27, 28 to the initial position thereof upon having achieved a partial, or incomplete, printing stroke. The aforemen tioned locking mechanism comprises a plate 43 pivotally supported on shaft 46 and supporting pinion 44 adapted to be driven by segment 35 in the same direction as the adjacent pinion 39. The slipping clutch 42 associated with pinion 44 is of the same kind, and operates in the same way, as the slipping clutch .1 associated with pinion 39, i.e. slipping clutch 42 permits pinion 44, when driven in one direction, to spin loosely on its supporting pin, but precludes such movement when pinion 42 is driven in the opposite direction. Two abutments or dogs 45. cooperating with abutment pin 47 in frame it} limit pivotal movement of plate 43 about shaft 48. Plate 43 is provided with a projection 46 adapted to cooperate with abutment pins 48 and 48a on segment 35. Plate 43 is acted upon helical spring 48 and held in one of its two limit positions by the action of a leaf spring 50 (Figs. 4, and 6). i

Clamping spring 52 is intended to press printed matter against the surface of roll 18. It engages the surface of transport roll 18 and is pivotally supported by shaft 53. The short end of shaft 53 projecting into compartment 12 has an abutment 54 arranged in the path of cooperating abutment 51 on lever 27, 28.

In the initial limit position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 the manual operating lever 27, 28 is latched-in by' a latching lever 55 having a latching projection or nose 56 engaging thelatching abutment 32 on lever 27, 28. Latching lever 55 is mounted to jointly pivot with shaft 57 supported by frame and extending across compartments 11 and 12 thereof. 'Shaft 57 supports, in addition to latching lever 55, a sensing lever 58 the lower erid of which projects into gap or slot 19 formed between parts 14 and 20. Roll 17 is arranged parallel to and below theprinting cylinder b and the lower end of sensing lever 58 projecting into slot 19 is arranged laterally of printing cylinder b and roll 17.

. The structureofroll 17.has'been clearly shown in It is apparent from Fig. 3 thatthe bearing .ends are situated adjacent the median plane ormu 17 and whose wide and flaring ends are situated at the axially outer ends ofroll 17. This configuration of surface 62 operate the latter.

limit position shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

supporting levers or rocking lever 60, 61 pivotally mounted on shaft 59 and under the bias of rat-trap spring 100.

Roll-supporting or rocking lever 61 projects beyond the bearing for shaft 63 and. the end of lever 61 remote from shaft 59 supports a pin 65 on which a little roller -64 is mounted. This roller 64 is intended to cooperate with the lower cam-shaped end of lever 27, 28, as has been clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Pin 66 supported on the side of frame 10 and arranged in compartment 12 (Figs. 1 and 2) pivotally supports an abutment lever having two arms 67, 68. Lever arm 67 has an angular projection 68 extending through an aperture 78 in plate 14 into the space or gap 19 formed between parts 14 and 20. Spring 71 attached to arm 68 of lever 67, 68 biases the latter in counterclockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 1. Pin 72 supported by rocking lever 69 is adapted to engage arm 68 of lever 67, 68.

The stamping device proper which has been designated by the reference character a is provided with a latching mechanism not shown) whichmay be released by depressing a push button d. Push button d is being automatically depressed upon initial operation of the manual operating lever 27, 28. The operating mechanism for push button c comprises fulcrum or bearing member 75 supported by partition 13 and pivotally supporting the two-armedlever 76, 77. A pin 78" on arm76 of lever 76, 77 engages push-button d and is adapted to The outer end of arm 77 pivotally supports a spring biased cam 79. Cam 79 is adapted to pivot in but one direction and precluded from pivoting in the opposite direction.

Hood 8% covers compartment 12 and the mechanisms arranged therein. Lever 27, 28 projects through a slot (not shown) in hood 80 enabling lever 27, 28 to be operated by means of handle 31.

If desired, the structure shown may be combined with a wetting device for automatically wetting the insides of flaps of envelopes. The envelopes are then automatically sealed concomitant with thestamping thereof.

The structure which has been described above Operates as follows:

reparatory to using the apparatus shown the stamping device a proper must be integrated with the constituent parts or" the operating and control mechanism. To this end structure a is placed upon tray 29 insuch a way that printing cylinder b projects through aperture 21 in tray 29 into the slot or gap space 19. The slotted end of shaft c is being arranged in such a Way that pin 23 on shaft 25 may enter into it. This establishes a coupling between driving shaft 25 and driven' shaft Before inserting the structure a into the tray 20 the spring iased pin 22 is drawn outwardly, and upon insertion of structure a into tray 20 part 22 is released, or allowed to snap back, to its initial position. It then enters a pin-receiving cavity in structure a, thereby firmly locking that structure in the position shown.

Initially the manual operating lever 27, 28 is in the It has been moved to that position under the bias of resetting spring 30. Lever 27, 28 is latched in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 by latching lever 55 engaging latching abutment 32. It may be assumed that plate 43 is initially in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

If matter to be imprinted is introduced into slot or gap 19, its leading edge lifts sensing lever 58 and then abuts against end 69of lever 67, 68. Lifting "of sensing lever 58 causes a pivotal movement of shaft 57' and latching lever 55 mounted thereon, resulting in unla'tch- 27,28 its abutment 33 engages cam 79 on lever 76,

77. This causesa pivotalimoveinnt" ofleve r 76,71, resulting i'rf'pin 78 depressing pushibutton a, this u ment of the teeth thereof with pinion 44.

. latching the structure d and enabling rotation of printing cylinder b. In the initial stage of the pivotal downward motion of lever 27, 28 roller 64 is permitted to move into the recessed portion of the cam-shaped end of arm'28 of lever 27, 28. This permitslevers 60, 61 and roll 17 to move upwardly under the bias of rat-trap spring100. The counterclockwise (as seen in Fig. l) upward movement of roll 17 causes the matter to be imprinted to be firmly pressed against the surface of the printing cylinder b. Upward movement of the supporting levers 60, 61 causes an upward movementof pm 72 engaging arm 68 of lever 67,68, causing lever 67, 68 to pivot in clockwise direction (as seen in Fig. 1) about fulcrum 66, thus moving abutment 69 out of the space or gap 19 formed between parts 14 and 20 and out of the path of the matter to be imprinted.

Continued movement of lever 27, 28 in clockwise direction causes segments 34, 35 to rotate pinions 24 and 39. Slipping clutch 36 which is operative Whenpinion 24 is rotated in that direction then couples pinion 24 to shaft 25, resulting in rotation of shafts 25 and c and of printing cylinder b. 'Leaf spring 38 engaging cam 37'efi'ects a braking action of short duration. The printing cylinder b effects the desired imprint when the braking action of parts 37, 38 has been overcome. The short braking action upon printing cylinder b results in a uniform spacing of the stamp from the leading edge of each matter to be imprinted.

- During the period of time printing cylinder his being rotated transport roll 18 is precluded from rotating.v This is achieved by the action of spring-biased-slipping clutch 41. Continued movement of segment 35 in clockwise direction (as seen in Fig. 4) causes meshing engage- This precludes any return movement of lever 27, 28 under the actionof spring 30 to the initial limit position thereof, i.e'. any counterclockwise movement (as seen in Fig. 4) of lever 27, 28. Shortly before the printing operation of printing cylinder b is completed abutment '51 on .lever 27, 28 engages abutment 54, thereby lifting spring 52 out of engagement with transport roll 18.. As a result, the matter in the process of being moved forward by the rotary motion of printing cylinder b and roll 17 is allowed to engage the apex portion of transport roll 18. At the Sametime pin 48a on segment 35 engages the projection 46 on plate 43, causing plate 43 to pivot about the fulcrum thereof from the position shown. in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5. This brings pinion 44 out of meshing engagement with toothed gear sector 35. Now lever 27, 28 is free to reset, i.e. to. move under the' action of spring 30 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 4. Lever 27, 28 pivots automatically back to the initial limit position thereof shown in Fig. 4 upon release,.by'the.operator of the device, of operating handle 31. f

i Leaf spring 52 upon having been released at the beginning of the resetting stroke of lever 27, 28 returns to its position shown in Fig. 4. and presses the matter' which has been imprinted in the apparatus against transport roll 18. During the resetting stroke of lever 27, 28

'pinion.39 is being driven by toothed gear sector 35 iand, in. turn, drives roll 18 by theintermediary of coupling or slipping clutch 41. Roll 18 performs as many revolutions during the resetting stroke of lever 27, 28 as required for complete ejection of the printed matter out of the apparatus. Coupling or slipping clutch 36 precludes during the resetting stroke of lever 27, 28 any movement of printing cylinder b from its initial limit position shown in Fig. 1 to another position. This is achieved by virtue of the fact that slipping-clutch 36 causes pinion 24 to spin loosely on shaft 25 when pinion 24 is being driven by segment 34 in clockwise direction (as seen in Fig. 5

Pin 48 on segment 35 engages projection 46 on plate 43 immediately before lever 27, 28 reaches its initial position shown in Fig. 4,

'limit position thereof.

and tilts plate 43 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 4. As a result, pinion 44 isreturned into the path of the toothed periphery of gear segment 35. As lever 27, 28 returns to its initial limit position, it is engaged by cam 79, the action of which it overcomes. Finally lever 27, .28 is latched-in in its initial limit position by projection 56 on latching lever 55 engaging latching abutment 32. The lower cam-shaped end of lever 27, 28 engages roller 64 before lever 27, 28 reaches the initial This causes lowering of levers 60, 61 and of roll 17 and concomitant disengagement of roll 17 from printing cylinder b. As a result of the downward movement of lever 60, pin 72 is being lowered, permitting spring 71 to pivot lever 67, 68 about pin 66 in counterclockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 1.

This raises abutment end 69 of lever 67, 68 into gap 19 formed between plate 14 and'tray 20.

The apparatus is now ready for another printing operation.

It will be apparent from the foregoing thatFig, 4 shows manual operating lever 27, 28 in its initial limit position, and that Fig. 5 shows the same lever 27, 28 in its final limit position where the direction of the pivotal movement thereof is reversed, whereupon resetting is eflected by the power stored in spring 30. It will also be apparent that levers 60 and 61 are in effect one single lever which may be referred to as a rocking lever. Lever 60, 61 controls the position of abutment lever 67, 68, as previously stated, to move abutment 69 toward, or away, from printing cylinder b, i.e. into, or out of, the gap formed between parts 14 and 20.

It will also be apparent that it is important to prevent lever 27, 28 from returning from an intermediary positionto its upper limit position, i.e. to prevent lever 27, 28 from being raised by spring 30 before having reached the lower limit position. As long as pinion 44 mounted on reciprocating pinion support 45 engages segment 35 slip-coupling 42 precludes lever 27, 28 from returning to its upper limit position. When plate 45 supporting pinion 44 is rocked by pin 48 and pinion 44 brought out of meshing engagement with segment 35 (Fig. 5), lever 27, 28 is free to return to its upper limit position (Fig. 4) under the bias of spring 30.

Having disclosed a preferred embodiment of our invention, it is desired that the same be not limited to any particular structure disclosed. It will be obvious to any person skilled in the art that many modifications and changes may be made without departing from the broad spirit and scope of our invention. Therefore it is desired that the invention be interpreted as broadly as possible, and that it be limited only as required by the prior state of the art.

- We claim as our invention:

1. A stamping device comprising a rotatable printing cylinder, a first rotatable roll arranged parallel to said printing cylinder, a rocking lever supporting said first roll, a first spring biasing said rocking lever tending to cause engagement of said first roll and said sprinting cylinder, asecond roll spaced from said printing cylinder for ejecting matter imprinted by said printing cylinder, a pivotally mounted manual operating lever movable between an initial limit position and a final limit position, a second spring biasing said operating lever toward said initial limit position thereof, cam means mounted for joint movement with said operating lever cooperating with said rocking lever to cause disengagement of said first roll from said printing cylinder when said operating lever is in said initial limit position and to permit engagement of said first roll and said printing cylinder under the action of said first spring during movement of said operating lever from said initial limit position to said final limit position, a first transmission for transmitting a torque from said operating lever to said printing cylinder torotatesaid printing cylinder, said first transmission being adapted to be operative. only during strokes of said operating lever against the bias of said second spring, a .second transmission for transmitting a, torque from said 'operating lever to. said second roll and to rotate said second roll, said second transmissionbeing adapted to be operative only during resetting strokes of said operating lever under the power stored in said second spring,

. a lockingmechanisrn for said operating .lever. adapted to preclude resetting of said operating lever under the power stored in said second spring before said operating v lever is in said final limit position, and abutment means mounted to be jointly movable with said operating lever cooperating with said lockingmechanism to. render said locking'mechanism ineffective when said operating lever is in said final limit position.

2. Ast'amping device as specified in claim 1 comprising an abutment lever having an abutment adapted to engage matter inserted into thenip formed between said printing cylinder and said first roll, fixed fulcrum .means for pivotally supporting said abutment lever, spring means tendi ng topivot said abutment lever about said fulcrumrneans, and an abutment on saidroclringlever cooperating with said abutment lever: topivot said abut- I. ment lever against the bias of saicl spring meansto move '1 said abutment-thereon away from said printing cylinder .concomitant with engagement of said first roll and said printing cylinder.

3. A stamping device as specified in claim 1 comprisa sensing lever arranged to be acted upon by matter I to be imprinted when inserted into the nip formed be- ..tween said printing cylinder and said first roll, a latching lever adapted to latch said operating lever in said initial limit position thereof, and means for operating said latchinglever by said sensing lever to, unlatch said latching lever upon. movement of said sensing lever.

4. A roll stamp operating mechanism comprising a first rotatable shaft, asecond rotatable shaft, a pivotally mounted manual operating lever for drivingjboth said first shaft and said. second shaft said operating lever having an initial limit position andafinal limit position, spring means biasing saidoperating lever to said initial limit. position thereof, gear means mounted, to jointly pivot with, saidoperating lever, a first pinion mounted on said first shaft and adapted to be drivenby said gear means to drive said first shaftfa second pinionimounted [on said second shaft adaptedto be driven by said gear means to drive said second shaft, a third pinion adapted :to be driven by said gear means, a pinion support for said third pinion'pivotally mounted on said second shaft, three slip-couplings each having a coupling position and operating lever from said initial limit position and to cause said pinion support in said final limit position of said operating lever to pivot said'third pinionoutflof meshinglposition with said gear means.

5. A stampingdevice comprising a rotatable printing cylinder, arotatable transport roll for ejecting matter imprinted by said printing cylinder, a pivotally mounted manual operating lever movable between an initial limit position. and a final limit position, a spring biasing said operatng lever toward said initial limit postion thereof, a firsttransmission for transmitting a torque from said operating lever to said printing cylinder to rotate said .printingcylinder, said first transmission being adapted to be operative only duringstrokes of said operating lever against the bias of said spring and inoperative during resetting strokes of said operating lever under the power stored in said spring, a second transmission for transmitting a torque from said, operating lever to said transport roll to rotate said transport roll, said second transmission being adapted to be operative only during resetting strokes of said operating lever under the power stored in said spring and inoperative during the strokes of said operating lever against the bias of said spring, a locking mechanism for said .manual operating lever adapted to preclude resetti ng of saidpperating lever under the power stored in said. spring before said operating leveris in said final limit position thereof, andabutmentnieans mounted to be jointly movable withsaid operating lever and cooperating with said locking mechanism to render said locking mechanism ineffective when said operating lever .isin saidfinallimit positon thereof to then permt resetting of, said operating lever.

. 6. A roll stamp operating mechanism comprising a first rotatable shaft, a second rotatable shaft, a pivotally mounted manual operating lever for driving both said firstshaft and said second shaft, said operating lever hav- 'ing an initial limit position and a final limit position, a

spring for biasing said operatnglever, gear meansinter- .posed between said operating leverand said first shaft to drive said first shaft by said operating lever, gear means .interposed between said operating lever and said second shaft to drive said second shaft by said operating lever,

a first. couplingprecluding saidfirst shaft from being driven by said operating lever when said operating lever .is being pivoted under the action of said biasing spring,

f and a second coupling precluding said second shaft from being. driven by said operating lever when said operating lever is being pivoted against the action of said biasing spring, locking means for said operating lever effective upon initial movement of said operating lever from said initial limit position thereof to .preclude resetting of saidoperating lever under the bias of said spring, and means underthe control of said operating lever for rendering, said locking mechanism ineffective in the final limit position of said operating lever to permit resetting of said operating lever from said finallirnit position thereof.

References Cited inthe file of. this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Marchev Dec. 30, 1941 Rundblad Q. Nov. 6, 1951 

